Page 11 of Beauty Beneath the Sorrow
“What does three o’clock mean?”
“It means I’m closer to five.”
My sister lets out a belly laugh.
“Whatever, Lina. I shouldn’t be surprised that you live by your own rules. You always have.” She wipes her hand down her wide-leg linen pants before standing. “Will you and the girls be coming to the masquerade ball at the end of the month?”
I nod. My cheeks are full of liquid grapes.
“That’s good,” she says, swinging her branded purse over her shoulder. “We have three memory care facilities that will benefit from the event this year.”
“That’s great,” I say, walking over to the couch.
“Don’t you come near me with that red wine,” she warns, tucking her purse further into the crook of her underarm. “This bag was more expensive than you know.”
I narrow my eyes. “Give me a break.”
“It is!” she snaps, then turns to my sister. “Ready to go, Zoe?”
“Sure.”
My mom plasters on a fake smile most people can’t see through, but I can. I’ve always been able to. “I’d love for you to come grab a late lunch with us since I’m sure the one you had with your father wasn’t adequate.”
I bring my palm in the air. “No, thanks.”
She shrugs her shoulders. “As you wish.”
When my mom and sister leave, I’m left in precious silence—until a quick vibration of my phone breaks it.
Glancing over, I see the notification is a text from Finn. Finn is my New York hookup.
Finn: When are you back in New York? I miss your body.
Yuck. He can be so over the top sometimes.
I was hooking up with Finn for a few months, while my friend Piper was hooking up with his twin brother Landon. We’d see them every time we flew into the city. They are trust fund babies and love to not only flaunt how much money they have, they like to spend it just as much.
The last I saw him was when Piper and I snuck out of their hotel rooms in the middle of the night a couple of months ago. For our own reasons, we both didn’t end up sleeping with eitherof them that night.
Finn has reached out a couple of times since then, but he’s usually not interested unless he’s going to get laid.
Me: Hi.
Finn: When are you back? I’m going to make plans for us.
I’m not into it.
Me: I don’t have my schedule on me.
Finn: I’m trying to get us into one of the most exclusive restaurants in New York City. Maybe you could find your schedule?
He’s bribing me to come. I guess we could have dinner, and then I could complain about a stomachache or something. Maybe I’ll say I’m on my period? I haven’t been laid in so long, but perhaps I’ll be in a better headspace by then.
Me: The 15th.
Finn: Fantastic. I’ll see you then. Bring that red lacy lingerie I bought you.
Finn: Never mind. I’m going to buy you new ones.
